Welcome to the Grow Inward Podcast, I am your host Adrian Petrillo.
When you think about looking out at the world, what is the first thing that you see? Where do you find that your attention is drawn to? Do you immediately think of this in terms of “the current state of the world”, or maybe you look out and notice that it is a beautiful sunny day, full of possibilities? Do you notice the birds singing in the trees when you wake up, or are you immediately thinking about all that you have to get done today? Do you tend to see things as they are, or as they could be?
These are interesting observations to consider, and they can say a lot about where you are internally in any given moment? Of course, this can change on a moment to moment basis, and it will likely be different each time you ask yourself this question. It can still however be interesting, and valuable, to ask these questions often and identify any trends that develop in your own thoughts, beliefs, and perceptions. If you happen to journal, these can also serve as some great prompts to include into your daily reflections.
By asking some of these questions, you can begin to see if you find it difficult to look beyond the impression of the world which is being presented to you. There is no doubt that this world, at least through the various channels of media that reach deeply into most peoples lives, is vastly more negative than positive in nature. Given the frequency and pervasive nature of media today, it’s no surprise why your thoughts, beliefs, and emotions can begin to feel like a literal roller coaster ride much of the time.
It can be difficult to parse out the noise and find your center. It’s important to remember that this is all ultimately a matter of will and perception. What are you willing to accept? What are you willing to change? What are you willing to receive? What are you willing to create? These kinds of questions are incredibly helpful to sit with in your own practice and in meditation. When you tune into your own heart and inner self, these are the kinds of questions that can provide some very revealing answers and guidance over time.
Reflecting on these kinds of larger questions will ultimately lead you further into your inner self. They require you to practice peeling back the layers of thoughts and beliefs that have become firmly established in your life, to discover the heart of what gives them such power and sway over different areas of your life today. You can easily become lost in these matters when you don’t question these regularly, intently, and patiently.
These kinds of questions can provide the opportunity to create some new possibilities that you can begin focusing on each day. I know I keep coming back to the subject of mindset, but that is why I say that mindset is everything. It really is everything! Your will is your own, and you can apply it toward your life and your mindset in any way that you choose. Choose your own possibilities and choose them wisely!
We often get lost in our day to day, only to forget the beauty of life. I can’t help but feel that this beauty is being stolen from us all, in so many different ways. It is stolen each time the media spews lies or uses fear as a weapon, each time that we are told to do our part instead of exploring our passions or creativity, each time we are reminded that the world is one of scarcity rather than abundance, each time a troll online tries to put others in a box and degrade them, and the list goes on and on?
The collective perceptions that these kinds of things tend to create are not real truth or reality, they are opinions and illusions. They attempt to make us all smaller through what is effectively coercion and manipulation. These sorts of ideas and actions are not healthy for the victims or the perpetrators. They are inhumane and misguided ignorance, and they will eventually fail miserably over time because they are just wrong. It is absolutely incredible that we still struggle in these matters, and that these cycles of power and control continue over and over?
It’s hard to avoid these absurdities, especially when they are so blatantly obvious and offensive, but highlighting the need for more awareness is still needed, and it is why I highlight that here. As I have mentioned previously, awareness of our outer world is an important factor for our own inner growth due to the significant influence it can have on each of us. It can also serve as a bit of inspiration in many ways however, in that it can motivate us to take actions that can significantly affect the greater changes that we wish to see in the world. As always, this begins with ourselves of course.
To remember the immense beauty that still exists in the world, look no further than nature. Not only is nature a great example and reminder of this fact, but it can serve a significant role in your overall personal development in so many other ways. In fact, I believe nature could be one of your most valuable allies in your inner growth and overall wellness, which I would like to briefly elaborate on a bit more here.
I mentioned the framework of mindset, movement, and meditation in previous episodes. This is framework that I have come up with over my own years of practice and study, and one that I feel highlights the most beneficial areas of focus when it comes to personal development. I bring this up again because I have found that spending time in nature is a great way to improve upon all three of these areas of my framework.
Let’s just touch on a few examples of these things here. By observing how nature works, in an individual or collective fashion, you begin to see how it really is a beautifully simple, and yet incredibly complex interconnected web of cooperation. This cooperation is the defining characteristic of how such a complex system is able to thrive. From an ant on the ground to the bees that pollenate everything, all the way up into the clouds that provide moisture for all of the life down below, to the currents in the oceans thousands of miles away that create these clouds and moisture patterns. It is an infinitely complex web of cooperation, and a delicate one at that. We can learn a great deal from observing this web of life.
Taking some time to observe some of these connections and complexities can be easily applied to our lives and our mindset. We can easily see that nature works because it flows in cooperation with all of its constituent parts. Every single part affects some other, and this is an endless cascading chain that touches all things eventually. Our life and mindset is very much this way. A single thought has a cascading effect on how we act, how we behave, the decisions we make, the beliefs we entertain, and ultimately the world we create. Think about how you can create cooperation between your mindset and your experience by observing nature and reflecting on the interplay of everything, there is a connection here that is worthy of your observation and application.
When it comes to movement, this element is such an important part of our overall health and well-being. We must keep moving if we want to take better care of ourselves. Take walks in nature as often as you can, daily if possible. It doesn’t matter if you live in the city or in the country. Just get out and walk, listen to the birds, enjoy the fresh air, take a moment to notice a butterfly or smell a flower, just take a tiny part of your day to enjoy nature. This is hugely beneficial physically, mentally, and even spiritually in the sense of the interconnectedness of everything. When you observe the complexity of the world, consider how movement is the engine that keeps it alive. Everything is constantly in motion, and your needs are no different. When you stop moving, you stop living.
Regarding meditation, meditation can easily be done as you take a walk in nature. Just try to remain present and in appreciation of what you are experiencing. By remaining present and taking time in this way, it is very much a meditation in itself. You will get the benefits of this practice by being mindful and taking some time for yourself. The best part is that you are also getting the physical benefits of walking while you do this. I want you to understand that these are small things that make a big difference in your life. Just do them consistently and think about how they are all interconnected in your life. From the perspective of movement, all of life has a flow to it, a rhythm. Think of meditation as getting into this flow, being a part of the rhythm of life. The wind isn’t thinking about all the work it has to do to blow seeds to a certain place, it just flows and allows things to flow where they will without effort. It is being, not doing. Apply this concept in your meditation, your movement, and your mindset, where it makes sense.
Spending time in nature has so many incredible benefits, and it will just make you feel better. Even when it is cold out, just bundle up and take a quick walk. Learn to appreciate everything for what it is. Stop and observe something different each time, and just allow it to show you the beauty it holds. Really take the time to see it, to truly see it for what it is, and appreciate it. Life is so amazing and incredible! The diversity and complexity is staggering, and when you take the time to appreciate that you bring back that childlike wonder that we all live for. Do not underestimate the power of this! It holds much more than you know. Be curious, be adventurous, be happy!
We are rarely encouraged to appreciate the beauty of life, but we are always encouraged to focus on material gadgets, tasks, and responsibilities. Those things are all fine, but they are fleeting. There is nothing about them that you can take with you in the end. Life is beautiful, but only if we appreciate it and live it fully. We have free will to choose this, we have the ability to change the way we view things, take that opportunity and recalibrate yourself to get back to these things that matter much more deeply in your life.
Learn how to look beyond the world being presented to you, choose to see it the way you would like it to be. Use nature to enhance your health, your inspiration, and your hope. Expand your awareness to create and see the beauty that is waiting to be discovered by you. Your life will be so much more fulfilling by doing these simple things. They may not make everything perfect, but they will make it markedly better. Choose to see the beauty around you, and never take it for granted. It was put here for you to experience your own joy and happiness.
Until next time, never underestimate the power you have within you, and keep Growing Inward.
